Psychology

The Washington Center: Washington, D.C.

Subjects: One seminar, variable topics. Internship. The Washington Center (TWC) assists students from all academic backgrounds in securing full-time internships in Washington, D.C. Through partnerships with over a thousand organizations in the nonprofit, for-profit, governmental and international arenas, TWC advisors are able to find students opportunities that not only match their professional interests, but also allow them to gain hands-on experience in their respective fields. In addition to the full time internships, students also take one academic course and attend a series of leadership, civic engagement, and professional development programming events. There are up to 30 courses offered each semester and summer across all academic disciplines. Through TWC's programming events, students engage with leaders in a range of fields in both the public and private sectors.

Prerequisities: Junior-level standing is required by Albion College for admission into the program. Other factors that will be considered for admission are maturity level, quality of application materials (statement of professional interest, issues essay, resume, and letters of recommendation), and GPA. The basic GPA requirement is a 2.75, though keep in mind that a higher GPA may be required for the most competitive of placements. Due to background check requirements for some placements, early application submission may also be required. For dates and deadlines, we encourage you to review information on TWC’s website. Lastly, all students attending TWC from Albion must be approved by the campus liaison, Patrick McLean, prior to being granted admission by TWC.

Length: Fall or Spring Semester or Summer Term

Credit: The 4.0 units: 2.0 unit Internship, 1.0 unit seminar, and 1.0 unit for LEAD Colloquium. Summer credit is 2.0 units. Students may choose to have 1.0 unit internship and 1.0 unit seminar, or 2.0 units of internship. Washington Center program is a comprehensive working, learning, and living experience, through which students not only complete a full-time internship, but also take an engaging academic course of their choosing, and attend weekly programming that furthers their professional development and exploration into their chosen career paths. For completion of this program, students receive academic credit directly from Albion College. Upon completion of a 15-week fall or spring semester program, students receive 4 units of credits, two as internship credit and one as seminar credit, and 1.0 unit for LEAD Colloquium. For the summer term program, which is 10 weeks in length, students receive 2 units of credit, one as internship credit and one as seminar, or students may apply both credits towards the internship.

Housing: Most students are housed in The Washington Center's privately owned and operated Residential & Academic Facility (RAF), located in the NoMa neighborhood. The RAF is centrally located and convenient to all forms of public transit, such as the Metro, DC's underground subway system. The Washington Center also partners with other professional-style apartment facilities in the NoMa neighborhood to provide additional housing when necessary. Visit http://www.twc.edu/program-fees for more information on housing.

Cost: Albion College tuition and room charges cover program tuition and room fees.

Costs Not Covered by Albion: The program fees associated with The Washington Center program are covered by students’ tuition charges paid to Albion for the semester or term of attendance. Housing fees are paid directly to Albion College. Students are responsible for travel to and from Washington, D.C., as well as local transportation and living expenses while in the program. Depending on lifestyle, it is estimated that students spend between $125 and $200 per week.

(Note: The U.S. Attorney's office, U.S. Department of State, and U.S. Department of Justice are agencies that require background checks, so students need to apply six (6) months in advance for these programs.)

Comments: The Washington Center offers some scholarships. See the brochure and the faculty advisor. Students should keep in mind that Washington is a very expensive city; internships require local transportation and they should budget accordingly. The Washington Center awards scholarships to between 75% and 80% of the students attending their programs during any given term or semester. To give yourself the greatest chance of receiving one of their awards, we encourage you to plan ahead and apply by the priority deadline. Amounts tend to range between $500 and $3,000. Read the descriptions of the available scholarships on TWC’s website www.twc.edu/internships/washington-dc-programs/program-costs-scholarships/us-students

Contact: If you have any questions about The Washington Center and would like additional details on the program, please contact them directly:

E-mail:
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Main Phone: (202) 238-7900Toll Free: (800) 486-8921Website:www.twc.edu

Comments: Albion College students may apply for a partial tuition scholarship (up to $2,500) to help reduce the program charges. The program consists of a two-course seminar (study portion), an internship, and a research project. For full details on the summer program, go to: www.american.edu/spexs/summerintern/index.cfm

Chicago Center: Chicago, Ill.

Subjects: Founded in 1970, Chicago Center extends the classroom walls for students from all majors by providing professional internships and experience-based seminars. Internships are available in all fields and are tailored to each student’s professional goals and academic requirements. Chicago Center seminars are unique learning experiences that take place in the heart of Chicago’s neighborhoods, highlighting the diversity of America’s third largest city. Students earn a full term worth of credit for the internship and seminar experience.

Chicago Center provides housing to all students and introduces them to city living during a two-week orientation. Student housing is located in Hyde Park, a beautiful lakefront community that is home to Chicago Center’s office and staff. Hyde Park is also home to the University of Chicago.

Housing: Chicago Center provides apartment style housing and a food budget to all students. All apartments are located in Hyde Park and are shared with other students in the program. Apartments are fully furnished and include Wi-Fi, laundry, and cable. Students are just blocks from the neighborhood shopping district and beautiful Lake Michigan.

Cost: Albion College tuition, room and board charges cover the Chicago Center program tuition, room, board, and program fees. The Chicago Center program fees include room, board, cultural events, texts, all in-city transportation and class fees. For summer and post-term students, the Albion College summer school tuition covers the tuition charges. The City Activity Expense fee is billed directly to the student, who then pays Chicago Center.

Costs Not Covered by Albion: $100 security deposit, City Activity Expense $300. For the summer: Program fee of $2,940 and City Activity Expense of $200. For the post-term: Program Fee of $1440 and City Activity Expense of $100.

Comments:Students intern full-time three days a week during the semester and four days a week during the summer. All students interview at multiple internship sites before making their decision and have access to Chicago Center’s extensive internship database. Class sizes are small (7-12) and allow for robust group discussions and personal feedback from instructors. The program is oriented toward understanding the diversity of experience in an urban setting, and allows students to engage with the city professionally and academically.